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Board adopts 2018–19 budget and directs superintendent to negotiate 7% pay add-on tied to Prop G treatment
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Education approved the district's 2018–19 budget and added a board amendment directing the superintendent to negotiate with United Educators of San Francisco to memorialize a 7% add-on to base pay for UESF-represented certificated and classified staff "as if" Prop G had passed through the November election date.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education approved the superintendent's recommended budget for fiscal year 2018–19 on Tuesday, and instructed the superintendent to negotiate an agreement that would treat Proposition G as if it had passed for the purpose of a one-time 7 percent add-on to UESF members' base salary through Election Day.
Superintendent Matthews read the recommended budget into the record and, during the board meeting, proposed an amendment directing the district to enter negotiations with United Educators of San Francisco to "memorialize the board's decision to pay certificated and classified members of United Educators a 7 percent add on to their base salary, as if Prop G had successfully passed" through November 6, the motion stated. The amendment was seconded and the board adopted the budget as amended.
The change follows months of bargaining and a public campaign to fund teacher pay and school services. Susan Solomon, executive vice president of United Educators of San Francisco, told the board she welcomed the action and called the negotiations "good work" that could yield greater staff stability: "Paying people a wage that keeps them in San Francisco is a way to do that," she said.
Public commenters and union leaders urged the board to prioritize compensation and school-site spending. Parent Julie Roberts Fung, who described staffing disruptions at Reading Elementary, asked the board to allow site administrations to revise plans if enrollment projections change before the 10-day count. The district responded that staffing projections would be updated prior to the required count and that sites flagged for midyear staffing changes would be reviewed.
Board members emphasized fiscal prudence while citing the community's desire to retain educators. Chief Financial Officer Rita Badabant presented the accounting actions required by state law and described the district's ongoing work to maintain reserves and manage costs.
Outcome and next steps: The budget was adopted by roll-call vote. Per the amendment, the superintendent is directed to negotiate with UESF to memorialize the 7 percent add-on (the motion ties the add-on to the hypothetical passage of Prop G through November); any final pay changes will depend on the outcome of those negotiations and any legal or state-level constraints that may arise.
